The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914 Page: 167
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The Louisiana-Texas Frontier
only at Orcoquisac and could give no definite account of any at
Matagorda.34
In his letter to Sibley of June 6, 1805, Claiborne mentioned an-
other instance of apparent Spanish hostility. He stated that the
utterances of the priests at Natchitoches had a tendency to arouse
the inhabitants against the government. They represented the
Americans as infidels with whom their charges should not asso-
ciate, and asserted that the new authorities would not protect the
religion under which their parents had lived and died. This was a
much more serious charge than the characterization of the pre-
vious year that the Americans were "mere hogs," who did not "live
like Christians." It was rendered more alarming by the recent pas-
toral visit of the Bishop of Nuevo Leon to Natchitoches. Clai-
borne believed that the geographical and political purposes of this
visit far outweighed the religious motive. Indeed, in 1836 the
Mexican minister at Washington cited this visit as evidence that
Spain then exercised political jurisdiction to the Red River.35
From the exposed frontier the American officials continued to
send alarming reports. Sibley mentioned the arrival of five hun-
dred families at San Antonio-a manifest absurdity, for no such
number ever arrived there during Spanish rule."8 The expected
arrival of an additional hundred soldiers at Nacogdoches also ex-
cited considerable interest among the Americans. Turner later
mentioned the anticipated arrival of Grimarest with seven com-
panies of soldiers for San Antonio and a captain and full company
for Nacogdoches. He gave more likelihood to his statement by
saying that a certain Mr. Shabas of Natchitoches had been invited
to come to San Antonio to meet the new Spanish official. The
march of Creole troops, accompanied as usual by their families, may
serve as a possible basis for the exaggerated reports of new settlers
for Texas. As we know from other sources, colonial officials like
Folch and Casa Calvo were advising the strengthening of Spanish
garrisons in Texas and Florida, the creation of new posts on the
gulf coast, and new settlements in Texas, but Spanish resources
were not then equal to the enterprise.37 However, Salcedo did his
8Parker, No. 7229. Also Am. State Paps., For. Rel., II, 691, and Report
of Ugarte, April 1, 1805, Bexar Archives.
"Parker, Nos. 7229 and 7232; Documentos para la Historia de Mexico,
Ser. 1, Tomo, VI.
"Am. State Paps., For. Rel., II, 691.
"Robertson, Nos. 4885, 4934, 4985, 4993.167
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 17, July 1913 - April, 1914, periodical, 1914; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101061/m1/171/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.